The Campus Kitchens Project Innovations in Fighting Hunger

Communities in Need  In 2008, 49.1 million Americans of all ages were food insecure.  16.7 million children were food insecure.  17.1 million households were food insecure; an increase of 11.1%.  55% of food insecure households used federal food and nutrition assistance programs.  4.8 million households obtained emergency food from a food pantry at least once in 2008.

Student Engagement Community Service 63.4 million people, or 26.8% of the population, volunteered in million students performed more than 300 million hours of service in million volunteers age served in Untapped Resources 4,000 college and universities and more than 110,00 K-12 schools in the US. Nearly every single one has the following: an on-campus kitchen small quantities of surplus food from dining halls active and engaged students.

The Campus Kitchens Project Launched in 2001, The Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) engages students to recycle unserved food from school dining halls and use that food to prepare and deliver meals to those in need in their communities. Together, more than 24,000 volunteers at 26 Campus Kitchens in 17 states have recovered 1.2 million pounds of food and delivered more than 1 million meals to our 200 community partners across the country. Our parent organization, DC Central Kitchen (DCCK), operating in Washington DC since 1989, established this innovative model of food recycling and meal delivery, which has received widespread recognition and serves as a national model for efficient, effective hunger relief for low-income people.

The Basics The Space Meal Delivery The Food Meal Preparation Leadership Development Dining Services designates kitchen space to be shared during off hours. Dining services, food banks, grocery stores, and farmers markets donate food to be stored at the on-campus kitchen. On “Delivery Shifts,” students transport and serve meals to an average of 10 community partners and individuals in need, including shelters, after- school programs and low-income housing complexes. Students lead the program in many capacities: as volunteers, members of the leadership team, and interns. On average, volunteers collectively dedicate more than 450 hours of service each month. Student volunteers work 2-5 times per week at “Cooking Shifts” to prepare and repackage donated food into balanced meals.

Benefits For the Students: Leadership and internship positions. Accessible, on-campus service opportunities. Experience with administration of a non-profit organization. Network of peers at other Campus Kitchens. Opportunity to make local and national impact. For the School: Partnerships with peer campuses. Local recognition for your school’s involvement in the community. Service learning collaborations with a variety of disciplines. Opportunities to leverage funding for other service programs at your school. For the Community: Enhanced services for those in-need. Annual financial savings of at least $5,000/agency. Enhanced programming with Campus Kitchens leading nutrition education & job training programs. Student participation in local community agencies. The multi-faceted approach of a Campus Kitchen means that it has far-reaching impact. Most significantly, it benefits the students, local community, and the school.

At Saint Louis University First Campus Kitchen in the country Volunteers cook and deliver over 2,500 meals per month Operated out of an unused kitchen of a Residence Hall Over 700 students, faculty and staff volunteer their time each year at the Kitchen 21 pick-up, cooking and delivery shifts offered each week

Not Just a Kitchen… Each year, the Campus Kitchens Leadership Team of students plans and organizes the annual Turkey-Palooza on campus… …which raises money and food to make a special Thanksgiving meal to each and every client of the Kitchen.

Not Just a Kitchen… Students also organize a variety of educational programs and initiatives for the campus and the community, including the Heart Health Initiative and a class at a local women’s shelter on how to be cost-effective with making food, and how to safely freeze leftovers for later use.

Culinary Job Training Unique program that sees people from the community looking for gainful employment take an 8-week culinary and career skills class Dining Services chefs, University educators offer courses in food handling and safety, life skills, and interviewing To date, the SLU Culinary Job Training has graduated over 40 people from the program, many of whom have found permanent employment in local hotels and restaurants as chefs

A Student’s Perspective Kelsey Evans, SLU Campus Kitchen Intern How I became involved with Campus Kitchen as a volunteer –Why? Work in communion for the greater community Convenient location Provided a unique learning opportunity Campus Kitchen as an Intern Same kitchen, new opportunities and experiences Preparation for post-graduate education and career

What I have learned… Knowledge of the needs of the community The link between poverty and nutrition Confidence in my ability to lead Working as an intern …What I have gained Small acts can be the most impactful Deliveries The necessity of planning, creativity, and critical thinking Meal planning Working with limited resources

What other students have to say about Campus Kitchen “My roommate junior year was a leader so that encouraged me to start going. Most of my other friends would also go, so it seemed like it would be a fun time with them while cooking and helping others. People who volunteer the same shift as I do are so much fun to be around. We are constantly laughing and having a good time. It is pretty cool seeing what some people come up with and make.” - Molly M. “I got involved through friends who said it was a fun volunteer site and a great experience. Giving up a few hours a week can make a difference in someone's life. Making a difference doesn’t have to be extremely time consuming. I enjoyed meeting new people and knowing that I was helping provide people with healthy meals that they could not afford.” - Jenny H. “I have learned so many things through my work with Campus Kitchen. Since becoming part of the leadership team, I have learned a lot about how to work with people from a variety of backgrounds with a wide variety of talents to accomplish a common goal. I have also learned the value of hard work. Even though I usually leave my shift exhausted, the feeling that I worked hard and was able to feed over 100 people is what keeps me coming back every week.” - Carley K.

Logistics Who Is At The Table? Campus Kitchens (Obviously!) Center for Service, Outreach, Engagement, etc. Dining Services Facilities/Maintenance Legal Counsel Community Other Considerations – Who Is Responsible For… Maintenance and Upkeep? Transportation? Risk/Liability Issues?

Logistics Importance of a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) Underscores most critical component to having a smooth, successful Kitchen… Communication, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!

Economic Impact of Service

Economic Impact of CKP Service  In 2009, students volunteered 48,085 hours of service valued at $1,002,572.  229,506 meals were served and added $559,994 to the community.  The 303,865 lbs of food recovered is $480,106 of food not in landfills.  Our community partners report that we saved them $1,000,000 that was reinvested into 20 communities.  Campus Kitchens are creating new markets for local produce and are developing a skilled workforce.